Douglas (Lovey) Welsh

1929 - 2015

COOPERSTOWN - Douglas John (Lovey) Welsh, a life-long resident of Cooperstown, passed away February 5, 2015. He was born April 23, 1929, in Cooperstown, a son of David and Annie (Dickson) Welsh. He was 85 and had been a resident at the New York State Veterans' Home at Oxford for the past year.

Doug graduated from Cooperstown High School in 1948. During his high school years he was a prominent athlete, participating in football, basketball and baseball, under the tutelage of Coach "Red" Bursey.

After graduating from high school he attended the State University of New York Agricultural and Technical Institute at Delhi. Later he was employed by the Leatherstocking Corporation in Cooperstown. During those years he helped relocate the historic buildings of Todd's General Store and The Blacksmith Shop, as well as The Cardiff Giant to The Village Crossroad at The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown.  

In 1949, while working on the addition to The Baseball Hall of Fame, Doug heroically rescued a one-year old child from his crib in a burning nearby apartment building. He was honored by the Cooperstown Rotary Club for his heroism.  

Doug joined the United States Army in December 1950 and served in Korea until his Honorable Discharge on November 27, 1952, with the rank of Sergeant.

After returning home he worked with and learned the carpentry trade from Eugene Willsey, a prominent Cooperstown builder. Prior to that Doug had worked with Pete Jones, another local craftsman, and from him learned the masonry trade. One of his jobs, working with Mr. Jones, was repairing the chimney stack at the Otesaga Hotel.

Doug was then self-employed for many years until joining the workforce of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, helping to maintain and repair many of their historic buildings. He retired from the State in 1994 after 23 years of service.  

Doug was an avid hunter and fisherman and spent many days hunting in the Adirondacks and Vermont with family and friends. In 1945, on one of those hunting trips, his eighteen year old brother, Robert Welsh, was fatally shot by another hunter.

He was a member of the Cooperstown Sportsman's Association, the Sgt. Walter P. Eggleston Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7128 in Cooperstown, the Milford American Legion Post No. 1556 and the Calhoun Hunting Camp.  

Doug was predeceased by his sister, Grace Welsh, and three brothers, David, Robert and Alastair Welsh.

He is survived by his sister Annie Bantham and her husband Harvey of Saratoga Springs, his niece, Shelley Fredericks and her husband Mark of West Milford, NJ, nephews, Daniel Bantham and his wife Kimberly of Merrimack, NH and Tim Bantham and his wife Martina of Ballston Spa; and a sister-in-law, Becky Welsh, along with several great nieces and nephews.

Many thanks to his good friends, Joni and Ben Snyder, Dave Lamb, Liz Partlow, and Sandy and Marshall Thorne, for the love and care that they gave him.

Anyone wishing to make a donation in memory of Doug may give to a charity or institution of one's choice.

Funeral services will be private. His remains will be placed in the Ecumenical Columbarium at Christ Church at a future date.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving
Updated 6/14/2015

COOPERSTOWN - A Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for the Life of Douglas John (Lovey) Welsh will be offered at 1 o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday, 20 June  2015 in Saint Agnes Chapel at Christ Church, Cooperstown, with the Rev'd Fr Matthew R Stromberg, Curate, officiating. Following the service in the Chapel, the funeral toll will mark the 85 years of Douglas' life as all process to the Ecumenical Columbarium in the Church-yard at Christ Church for the Burial Service and interment. Military Honors will be accorded by member of the Cooperstown Veterans Club and the New York State Military Forces Honor Guard.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.